In The Devil Particle, scientists have discovered that evil can be extracted from everyone and contained in a vessel, but that vessel has to be human.

Seventeen-year-old Paul Salvage wants to be the human vessel to prove to the world, and himself, that he is good, but first, he must compete in the Vessel Trials against forty-nine other candidates, including his girlfriend. During the trials, Paul must climb to the top of a 52-story abandoned skyscraper while suffering thirst and starvation, reason his way out of a trap, cope with revealed family secrets, and confront his dead mother. When Paul sacrifices one of the candidates to save himself and his girlfriend, he realizes he’ll do anything to win.

Kristin A. Oakley is the author of two award-winning suspense thrillers, Carpe Diem, Illinois and God on Mayhem Street. She is writing a four-book young adult thriller series called The Devil Particle Series, which will be released on June 6th, 2023. Kristin teaches writing workshops, has critiqued manuscripts through the UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies, and has helped writers hone their agent pitches at the Division’s Writers’ Institute. As a Chicago Writers Association board member, Kristin was the managing editor of The Write City Magazine and The Write City Review and is currently assisting with educational programming. Additionally, she reviews books and writes about being a novelist in her bi-monthly newsletter, available at kristinoakley.net.

Livestream: Kristin Oakley in Conversation with Doug Moe